Asserted that a free market would help everyone, not just the rich and would produce more goods at a lower price.
Malthus on Population
Believed population would grow at faster rate than the food supply, which in turn had him urge families to have fewer children.
Early 1800s many people accepted this view.
Eventually was found to be doubtful.
As century progressed the living conditions for the western world slowly improved, and people began having fewer children.
Ricardo also believed in this.
The Utilitarians
Idea that the goal of society should be “the greatest happiness for the greatest number”
Idea of Bentham (utilitarianism)
Bentham believed all laws and/or actions should be tried by their “utility” (did they provide more happiness of pain?), individual freedom guaranteed happines, and that government should be involved only under certain circumstances.
John Mill
Same basic beliefs as Bentham, however; he did not believe unrestricted competition in free market was not always good.
Believed while middle class business and factory owners were able to increase their own happiness, therefore, the government should prevent them from doing it in a manner which could potentially harm workers by steping in and taking action to improve the difficult lives of the working class.
Also thought to give the vote to workers and women. This group could use their political power to win reforms, such as child labor to public health.
Most middle class people rejected Mill’s ideas at first, it was only till later in the 19th century where his ideas where becoming more accepted.
Emergence of Socialism
Socialism
People as a whole, not individuals, would own and operate the means of production.
The farms, factories, railways, and other large businesses that produced and distributed goods where people as a whole.
Grew out of the enlightenment faith in progress, belief in the basic goodness of human nature, and its concern for social justice.
Goal was to create a world where society would operate for the benefit of all members, versus just the wealthy.
Utopians
Early socialists attempted to create self-sufficient communities where all work was shared, and all property was owned in common.
Believed when there was no difference in rich or poor, there would be no fighting.
Name implies practical dreamers.
Thomas More’s ideal community.
Robert Owen
Poor Welsh boy
Became successful mill owner
Unlike most industrialists at the time, he refused to use child labor. He did this by campaigning for laws that limited child labor and encouraged the organization of unions.
Believed the conditions people lived in shaped their character.
To prove this, he set up a model village, his factory, in New Lanark, Scotland.
Built homes for workers, opened a school for children, and for the most part treated employees well.
He showed that an employer could offer decent living and working conditions and still run a profitable business.
By 1820s many people were visiting his factory to study his reforms.
The “Scientific Socialism” of Karl Marx
Marx condemned the ideas of utopians as unrealistic idealism.
“Scientific Socialism”
Claimed was based on a scientific study of history.
Forced to leave his home town due to his radical beliefs.
Lived in Paris, then settled in London
Marx & Engles wrote The Communist Manifesto.
Communism
Form of socialism that sees class struggle between employers and employees as unavoidable.
Marxism
Theorized the driving force in history.
“the history of class of struggles” was between the “haves” and “have-nots”
“haves “ have always owned the means of production, controlling society and it’s wealth
In industrialized Europe, the “haves” were the bourgeoisie, while “have-nots” were the proletariat, or the working class.
Modern class struggle pitted the bourgeoisie against the proletariat.
He predicted in the end that the proletariat would be triumphant, then would take control of means of production, and set up a communist society.
He despised capitalism (prosperity for few, and poverty for many).
Popular at first, but were never practiced exactly how he thought.
People felt closer to their countries ties, rather than to the international communist movement.
Due to the flaws, and failures in Marx’s theories.
Many people found Adam Smiths ideas more lasting in value than those of Karl Marx.
Laissez-Faire Economics
- Middle class business leaders embraced this
- Main prophet was Adam Smith
- Asserted that a free market would help everyone, not just the rich and would produce more goods at a lower price.
- Malthus on Population
- Believed population would grow at faster rate than the food supply, which in turn had him urge families to have fewer children.
- Early 1800s many people accepted this view.
- Eventually was found to be doubtful.
- As century progressed the living conditions for the western world slowly improved, and people began having fewer children.
- Ricardo also believed in this.
The Utilitarians- Idea that the goal of society should be “the greatest happiness for the greatest number”
- Idea of Bentham (utilitarianism)
- Bentham believed all laws and/or actions should be tried by their “utility” (did they provide more happiness of pain?), individual freedom guaranteed happines, and that government should be involved only under certain circumstances.
- John Mill
- Same basic beliefs as Bentham, however; he did not believe unrestricted competition in free market was not always good.
- Believed while middle class business and factory owners were able to increase their own happiness, therefore, the government should prevent them from doing it in a manner which could potentially harm workers by steping in and taking action to improve the difficult lives of the working class.
- Also thought to give the vote to workers and women. This group could use their political power to win reforms, such as child labor to public health.
- Most middle class people rejected Mill’s ideas at first, it was only till later in the 19th century where his ideas where becoming more accepted.
Emergence of Socialism- Socialism
- People as a whole, not individuals, would own and operate the means of production.
- The farms, factories, railways, and other large businesses that produced and distributed goods where people as a whole.
- Grew out of the enlightenment faith in progress, belief in the basic goodness of human nature, and its concern for social justice.
- Goal was to create a world where society would operate for the benefit of all members, versus just the wealthy.
- Utopians
- Early socialists attempted to create self-sufficient communities where all work was shared, and all property was owned in common.
- Believed when there was no difference in rich or poor, there would be no fighting.
- Name implies practical dreamers.
- Thomas More’s ideal community.
- Robert Owen
- Poor Welsh boy
- Became successful mill owner
- Unlike most industrialists at the time, he refused to use child labor. He did this by campaigning for laws that limited child labor and encouraged the organization of unions.
- Believed the conditions people lived in shaped their character.
- To prove this, he set up a model village, his factory, in New Lanark, Scotland.
- Built homes for workers, opened a school for children, and for the most part treated employees well.
- He showed that an employer could offer decent living and working conditions and still run a profitable business.
- By 1820s many people were visiting his factory to study his reforms.
The “Scientific Socialism” of Karl Marx